Research | My Site 1

in vivo fluid dynamics means fluid flow in real life complexity. In our lab, we explore the physics and biology of living system’s interaction with fluid environments.

Meniscus Lensing

Organisms that live on the water surface communicate via water ripples. Before the organisms perceives these ripples, they first interact with the menisci surrounding the organisms. We are trying to understand the potential role of the curved air-water interface on organism's perception of the water ripples!

Swimming and Maneuver at the air-water interface

Insects at the air-water interface occupy an interesting flow regime. They swim at moderate Reynolds, Bond, and Weber numbers. Naturally, a rich interaction of fluid force gives rise to complex fluid flows. Within this complexity emerged an uncanny swimmer, whirligig beetle, who swims

Flow through Porosity

Biology deals with porosity in an intricate ways. We work with dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) to uncover how biology handles and utilize the porosity.

Bio-inspired sonar at the air-water interface

Inspired by the whirligig beetles, we are engineering a sonar system using water surface waves.

Funding: NSF-CMMI

Collaborators: Dr. Daisuke Takagi, Dr. Sunghwan (Sunny) Jung, Dr. Sungyon Lee, Dr. Anupam Pandey

Vortex formation of animal propulsion

Vortex is perhaps the most prevalent and important flow phenomenon. Understanding its formation process offers us insight into the patterns of animal locomotion and improves the propulsion or transport efficiency of engineering devices and vehicles. In this project, we are striving to provide a unifying perspective on diverse vortex formation processes.

Collaborators: Dr. Morteza Gharib

Fluid mechanics of Dragonfly Larvae

Fully aquatic dragonfly larvae constantly surprise us with their hydrodynamic innovations. Their multifunctional modified hindgut pumps water for respiration, propulsion, and predation. In many ways, a baby dragonfly’s biological pump resembles our biological pump, embryonic and adult heart and lung. This intricate pump is controlled by three sets of active valves, whose function remain a mystery.

Extremely fast firing of sea anemone harpoon

Starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis), has an elongated rice-grain-like stinging cell. The mechanism by which the harpoon inside the stinging cell fires is under investigation.

Collaborators: Dr. Leslie Babonis

High-Resolution Fan array Wind Tunnel

To study the effect of real flow on organisms, we need to be able to faithfully replicate the messiness. To do so, we built a fan array wind tunnel with high spatial resolution. We are excited to study fundamental aerodynamics to biofluid mechanics of insect and plant flight using this new tool!